OFF CEYLON. 
265 
tiontimied to hold till morning, when M^e had very considerable 
difficulty in getting up the anchor, our wretched sailors having 
hardly sufficient strength, and we dragged into very shallow water. 
We worked very slowly along the shore, which is flat towards the sea, 
with now and then a prodigious rock rising out of the jungle. The 
beach is sand and rock. We passed the Great Bassas on our southern 
bow: it was so calm that the rocks were visible above the water, 
and very little surf was breaking on them. Latitude 6° 1 6' north. 
December 17. — We kept coasting along till evening with very 
little wind, and that, as usual, from the west of north. We were 
obliged to anchor for a short time with our kedge, but got under 
weigh by four in the morning: about ten we discovered the flag 
flying in the little fort of Hambangtotte, whence a boat came off with 
a note from the commanding officer, asking the usual questions 
whence we came, what was the name of the ship, and whether we 
had any news. This fort is prettily situated on a rock, and appears 
to have a bay close to it. The weather was uncommonly fine, and 
as the breeze had come round to its natural quarter at this season, 
the eastward, we made good way. 
1 had not hitherto seen a single cocoa-nut tree, nor any thing that 
looked like Asia. Some fishermen came off in their boats, but asked 
much too large a sum for their fish. More singular vessels I never 
beheld. It is impossible to describe them, but some idea of their 
construction, may be formed from a sketch by Mr. Salt. 
December 18. — From Hambangtotte there is some appearance of 
cultivation, and a beautiful green belt skirts the sea. The breeze 
carried us till evening towards Dundrahead : still no villages were 
visible. We went on during the whole night : towards morning a 
